Iowa lawmakers warn against teacher layoffs

Top Iowa lawmakers warned local school officials Thursday against sending layoff notices to teachers.

The lawmakers said during a news conference that at least 14 school districts have sent layoff notices to teachers because of cuts in state funding. The lawmakers said funding will be replaced with federal dollars.

The Legislature approved a 4 percent allowable growth in basic state aid to local schools, and the lawmakers said federal dollars will be used to achieve the goal.

?We have repeatedly said that federal funds will be used to fully fund 4 percent allowable growth for the 2009-2010 school year,? said House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said one district, Cardinal Community School District, sent layoff notices to 23 teachers or about half its teachers.

?This is outrageous,? Gronstal said. ?What are these administrators thinking when they threaten to fire teachers? Preventing hundreds of Iowa teachers from being fired is a big reason why the federal government is providing these stimulus funds.?

Cardinal Superintendent Arnie Snook was away from his office today, and therefore, could not comment on the school?s action.

Fairfield Community School District reportedly gave pink slips to several teachers and support staff members, but Superintendent Don Achelpohl couldn?t be reached for confirmation this morning.

The agenda for a special meeting of the Fairfield school board Monday includes ?recommendations to terminate.? The meeting, set for 6 p.m. at the Administration/Curriculum/Technology Center, is open to the public.

Earlier this month, the school board had directed Achelpohl and business manager Kim Sheets to prepare expenditure reductions of at least $450,000. Achelpohl told the board 80 percent of the district?s expenditures are for personnel, so they could expect reductions in that area.

Van Buren Community School District did not send out layoff notices because the district is not planning any layoffs for the 2009-2010 school year.

?We did a grade reconfiguration, and part of our agreement with the community was not to lay off teachers, bus drivers or any other staff,? said Van Buren Superintendent Karen Stinson.

In the grade reconfiguration, all elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade will attend the Douds Elementary Attendance Center, and the sixth through eighth grade junior high students will be relocated from the high school in Keosauqua to the Stockport school building. The Stockport school is currently being used as an elementary attendance center.

Pekin Community School District Superintendent Roger Macklem did not return a call left for him this morning.

(Information from The Associated Press was used in this article.)

For the complete article, see the Friday, April 25, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.